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I couldn't agree more. I always got along with CA natives, even the ones from LA. Since about 30% of the people moving to Denver are from LA, there is a lot of resentment towards all these "awful Californians". But really, Id say most of them are natives, and the natives are actually pretty cool people that mesh well with the vibe here in Denver. The truly "awful LA transplants" that move here are people who came from say..the midwest, or NYC, and have only lived in CA for a a few years.
There's a superiority complex that forms when someone moves from say...rural Minnesota, or a poor neighborhood in NYC, to California.
I will say there is definitely a mindset of Californians that I always see here in Denver. It's hometown pride that can come off as arrogant sometimes. When Californians talk about another state, it's something like "There is a reason why no one is moving there", or "that state is so awful", etc...but try to tell them that you don't really care for LA, or you would never live in California, and it's all "You just jealous you can't afford to live here", or "Your just butthurt because your home state sucks"! And I even get into it when someone makes the choice to move here, but they can't stop talking about how bad it is here. I think what it comes down to is people claiming it's the best state as a fact, instead of a personal opinion.
...It doesn't really bother me that much though, and I have fun with it sometimes
My LA based co workers are some of my favorite people I have ever worked with, and I usually have a good time when I travel there.
In the major cities of California the kind of car I drove and my job was always inquired about- as if to dig if I had anything to offer to those people on a superficial level. Gross.
I have lived in CA almost my entire life and have never once in all my years EVER had anyone ask me what kind of vehicle I drive, here, or any place I've ever been in the world. Bizarre. The topic of profession HAS come up, but generally-speaking, I think that tends to be a fairly common conversation-starter with people anywhere, in any state or country, simply because what you do all day and how you spend your time is hopefully how you enjoy spending your energy & training and people can be curious about that, or it can get that conversation going as an icebreaker. To assume anyone asking is only asking to try to get something out of you, honestly, sounds more paranoid on your part than genuinely representative of some greedy/user-minded populace.
Personally, when I've had people ask me what I do for a living, it's led to some great new connections, even new customers. I wasn't looking for that, didn't expect it, but it was a positive flipside to a casual conversation standing in an otherwise too long line, both of us waiting. Sure, I *could have* just said "none-of-your-business" and acted like a reclusive shrew (which is anyone's right to choose to do), but responding and being friendly in return can be positive, and not initiated with purely user-motives as you seem to imply.
I still think how many interpret situations or people is more a reflection of their own personal issues, than representative of any groups as a whole. Really limited-thinking to say "Californians are this, or that". You don't know me and will never be able to categorize me, nor do I care what you think because anyone that quick to definitively label others is no one I care to know anyway.
What's interesting to me is how I hear certain states or areas have supposedly reclusive, keep-to-themselves people...like WA for instance. Well, a LOT of CAians move to WA. So what happens? They cross the WA border, don their WA license plates and suddenly become recluses who keep to themselves, won't be friendly to anyone? Or feel obliged to act that way because supposedly everyone else there acts that way? Ridiculous!
Wherever I live, now or in the future, is not going to affect how I act toward others. I'm friendly now and will continue to be a friendly person and good neighbor whether I'm still in CA, or move elsewhere. And I suppose if I were a Class A Arcewipe, I'd no doubt continue to be a Class A Arcewipe wherever I resided. If how people act, or how you THINK they act has so large an impact on you that you allow it to affect your own behavior, or change you, you'd really have to be a herd-mentality person, eh?
So true. I am a native Californian from SF and I never got asked about my job or how much my rent was upon first meeting someone until I moved to NYC. I live in Oregon now and I have known families for years here yet still don't know what the parents do for a living.
Overall Californians are friendly and are a delight. They're not overly friendly like in the South but still approachable people. That beats anything I've seen in the Northeast. BUT, the only caveat is the differences in neighborhoods. The more affluent areas will have most of the typical stereotypes you'd see in movies. This varies too and not everyone is a jerk but if I were to find the stereotypical outspoken sarcastic jerk it would be in the more affluent areas. I remember taking a trip to La Jolla in SD and being floored by the level of elitism and racism. West LA is a mixed bag too.
San Fernando Valley to me is near perfect, I've met genuinely friendly people here and it has grown on me as much as my hometown/state.
I have to agree that most of the image of snooty Californians comes from transplants and second generation natives of transplants from other parts of the country especially the Northeast. NATIVES are some of the best people I've met. There is this superiority complex of these transplants who think they've conquered the world just by living in LA. They're the same types that move to other worldly cities and think they're living a fantasy life like in prime time TV shows where they're allowed to be a sarcastic A type character who spouts off sardonic quips. They ruin most cities and they're spreading into cities like Austin, Portland, Denver too.
Overall Californians are friendly and are a delight. They're not overly friendly like in the South but still approachable people. That beats anything I've seen in the Northeast. BUT, the only caveat is the differences in neighborhoods. The more affluent areas will have most of the typical stereotypes you'd see in movies. This varies too and not everyone is a jerk but if I were to find the stereotypical outspoken sarcastic jerk it would be in the more affluent areas. I remember taking a trip to La Jolla in SD and being floored by the level of elitism and racism. West LA is a mixed bag too.
San Fernando Valley to me is near perfect, I've met genuinely friendly people here and it has grown on me as much as my hometown/state.
I have to agree that most of the image of snooty Californians comes from transplants and second generation natives of transplants from other parts of the country especially the Northeast. NATIVES are some of the best people I've met. There is this superiority complex of these transplants who think they've conquered the world just by living in LA. They're the same types that move to other worldly cities and think they're living a fantasy life like in prime time TV shows where they're allowed to be a sarcastic A type character who spouts off sardonic quips. They ruin most cities and they're spreading into cities like Austin, Portland, Denver too.
Yeah, California natives also *tend* to not be the insular "get outta my home/go back to where you came from/stop ruining my state" types. At least not when it comes to people who aren't "illegals".
Yeah, California natives also *tend* to not be the insular "get outta my home/go back to where you came from/stop ruining my state" types. At least not when it comes to people who aren't "illegals".
That's very true. Most other states get fed up quick with transplants but Californians don't really care. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I mean I get upset for them. I just think it's weird that they don't notice how a lot of the most successful people in the major cities are transplants especially from the northeast. Natives work the regular jobs. The heads of the Entertainment biz are mostly east coast transplants or parents from east coast transplants. Every time I go out and meet people for work I meet a transplant who is the head of some firm and they talk about home is back east or how their parents are originally from Jersey. It's like South Florida.
That's very true. Most other states get fed up quick with transplants but Californians don't really care. I don't know if that's a good thing or not. I mean I get upset for them. I just think it's weird that they don't notice how a lot of the most successful people in the major cities are transplants especially from the northeast. Natives work the regular jobs. The heads of the Entertainment biz are mostly east coast transplants or parents from east coast transplants. Every time I go out and meet people for work I meet a transplant who is the head of some firm and they talk about home is back east or how their parents are originally from Jersey. It's like South Florida.
Yeah, my CA trajectory was tracking towards the "regular", so I transplanted somewhere else to make something of myself. Natives of this particular state I live in cling to their birthplace (and their football team ) like it defines their place in the world ().
I think it's a good thing that Californians don't care, effort should be rewarded by success, success should not be based on the fact that one was born on a particular piece of ground. If one is not successful, they have only themselves and/or genetics to blame.
Keep in mind, there are plenty of California dreamers from all over the country that set out to "get famous" that are working at Denny's in Corona right now as we speak.
I have never been asked any crazy questions about the vehicle I drive - not in all my years of being in California dating back to my haydaze. Ha! I'm born/raised here and I love to see all people make it here...be successful. Who wouldn't? To believe all Californians are egotistical-materialistic blah blah blah is just nutz. Did I tell you about my new TESLA? J/k J/k lol
I grew up in a middle class family - none of us went to college yet we ended up with good jobs etc. Our father had an 8th grade education only - growing up in South Bend, IN before migrating to Malibu in the 40's with his family. Our father worked his butt off - went to adult night school and got his GED. Went on to become a Senior Tool Designer for NAA (North American Aviation/Boeing/Rockwell) in El Segundo, CA. Pretty amazing. You have to work hard - not expect handouts/government assistance and my father/mother never did that. They bought a home in Torrance, CA on the GI Bill back in 1955. One of my father's greatest moments...They had 5 kids to feed and they did it. :-) We are so down to earth (my siblings and I).
I'm proud of my home State of California, and give thanks to my parents (now deceased) for giving us a good upbringing which was not always "Leave it to Beaver" for sure. There were issues but overall, I can't complain. Torrance had a great school district and I got a good education (grammar and high school). We are not bad folks here. Really~
I now live in a very diverse community and love it. Southwest part of Hawthorne, CA. We live in a tiny community called Wiseburn. Not on the map because we are unincorporated Los Angeles County but use a Hawthorne zip code for mailing. Neighbors on one side are Hispanics and own a restaurant in nearby Manhattan Beach and neighbors on the other side are from Colombia. ALL hard working business owners. Nothing but respect for them...:-)
Having returned to California after 15 years, I might have seen some of what the OP is describing. The stuck-up and community living in my old neighborhood are NOT the people I grew up with. It's depressing, it almost feels like I don't have a place to call home anymore.
Overall Californians are friendly and are a delight. They're not overly friendly like in the South but still approachable people. That beats anything I've seen in the Northeast. BUT, the only caveat is the differences in neighborhoods. The more affluent areas will have most of the typical stereotypes you'd see in movies. This varies too and not everyone is a jerk but if I were to find the stereotypical outspoken sarcastic jerk it would be in the more affluent areas. I remember taking a trip to La Jolla in SD and being floored by the level of elitism and racism. West LA is a mixed bag too.
San Fernando Valley to me is near perfect, I've met genuinely friendly people here and it has grown on me as much as my hometown/state.
I have to agree that most of the image of snooty Californians comes from transplants and second generation natives of transplants from other parts of the country especially the Northeast. NATIVES are some of the best people I've met. There is this superiority complex of these transplants who think they've conquered the world just by living in LA. They're the same types that move to other worldly cities and think they're living a fantasy life like in prime time TV shows where they're allowed to be a sarcastic A type character who spouts off sardonic quips. They ruin most cities and they're spreading into cities like Austin, Portland, Denver too.
That's probably like 90% of greater LA since the huge population boom was post WWII. Which means most people living in the area are either second gen natives or transplants.
I remember taking a trip to La Jolla in SD and being floored by the level of elitism and racism.
I live (part time) in Del Mar, which is near La Jolla and similar to it, and I am not a racist. As far as elitism, I identify with accomplished people and want to live around them.
I've found that some of the friendliest people and the unfriendliest ones live right next door to each other. In every state in which I've lived, I find a mix of both. I suspect that's true all over the world.
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) like it defines their place in the world (
